This week, when Johanna Sigurdardottir is sworn in as Prime Minister of Iceland, she will become the world's first openly gay national leader.
According to this Independent (UK) story, Sigurdardottir has been one of the top politicians in small, "calmly progressive" Iceland for a long time. She is also a former flight attendant. Nice!
Thanks to James for sending.
17 comments:
*sigh*
When are we not going to consider the first world leader to be {insert minority} to be news?
Is it just because people like to use these milestones as ways of checking on the progressiveness of society?
I'm glad someone gay can be a national leader, but really I don't care if they're gay. Or straight. Or black, white, or pink with purple pokadots. Lately I've been finding these types of stories are taking more than their share of headlines, and minimizing what really matters.
In this case, these international stories are talking about the sexual orientation of the person and not about the economic plight of Iceland and what she's going to do about it. Yes, those stories get written, but they're not distributed as much.
Or maybe I'm just tired and grumpy.
Scott, the world is mostly ruled by men. Most of those men are wealthy, heterosexual, and light-skinned. When someone who reflects greater diversity enters the national stage, it is news.
It is especially welcome news to those of us who do not see themselves reflected in these national and international leadership positions. It symbolizes great possibility and hope.
Lately I've been finding these types of stories are taking more than their share of headlines, and minimizing what really matters.
I doubt that's true. "Firsts" are always important. And it's not like this is a huge story. It's been reported, but not in a gigantic sense.
"Minimizing what really matters" is what the mainstream media does best, but it's mostly about what [current celebrity fixation] was caught doing, not a mile marker of greater equality and diversity.
In this case, these international stories are talking about the sexual orientation of the person
If you read the story, there's not much about her orientation, just a little mini-bio. The story specifically says it's not a big deal in Iceland.
"calmly progressive"
Maybe we should move.
When are we not going to consider the first world leader to be {insert minority} to be news?
The short answer is: when it's no longer news.
"calmly progressive"
Maybe we should move.
It's not cold enough in Canada for you?
This conversation reminds me of an SNL sketch in the 90s, where Tim Meadows hosted the late-night talk show "Perspectives".
"And how many players since Jackie Robinson have broken the colour barrier?"
Is it just me?
(By which I mean, was I the only viewer of SNL in the 1997 season? Because I could have been.)
Is it just me?
Could be.
Maybe we should move.
It's not cold enough in Canada for you?
It says here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Iceland
that "The Icelandic winter is relatively mild for its latitude. The southerly lowlands of the island average around 0°C in winter, while the highlands tend to average around –10°C. The lowest temperatures in the northern part of the island range from around –25°C to –30°C. The lowest temperature on record is –39.7°C."
I'd have to check with Environment Canada but I think our Winters are colder than that. -39? that's what it was in Saskatchewan a fortnight ago. A 0c winter average? Bring it on!
Not that I want you guys to move or anything;^)
M@! Perspectives was one of my all-time favorite sketches!
Growing up with the NY channels, I knew about the show that it was spoofing--but it was funny regardless. For anyone that hasn't seen it, it was making fun of the fact that the black community was given air time--but only for like 15 minutes a week at like 4:45 AM. I thought it was underrated satire.
But back to the topic--I know what Scott means in that I wish we were so far past these milestones that they no longer mattered, but until then, I'm very happy to hear about things like this, and I'm glad people bring it up. I think it's important.
Aha, good to hear, Jere. To be honest, I didn't grok Perspectives from direct experience -- it was all context for me. And yet I knew what was going on. And it was fucking hilarious. "It's 4:37 in the AM..."
It was Kirby Puckett he was inteviewing, wasn't it?
Wow, great, that's good news!
The mayor of the city of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, also declared in public: "I am gay and that is good!" And when somebody quotes "And that is good!" re: that politician, everybody gets the allusion right away...just kidding, of course it is good and important that openly homosexual people can get into top positions finally, too.
-39? that's what it was in Saskatchewan a fortnight ago.
But I live in southern Ontario. :)
I actually like the winter, and I like it a whole lot more in Mississauga than I did in NYC. But Iceland is too far away. We'll just concentrate on getting Canada back to its calmly progressive self.
We'll just concentrate on getting Canada back to its calmly progressive self.
Sounds great...
Great news.
Even though it's at such a tough time.
"It was Kirby Puckett he was inteviewing, wasn't it?"
Surprisingly, this baseball-themed episode of Perspectives you speak of is one I don't remember.
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